Nikon D800E vs Canon 200D

The Nikon D800E and the Canon EOS 200D (labelled Canon SL2 in some countries) are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively,
in February 2012 and June 2017. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are based on a full frame (D800) and an APS-C (200D) sensor. The Nikon has a resolution of 36.2 megapixels, whereas the Canon provides 24 MP. Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their sensors, their features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison: Nikon D800E vs Canon 200D

The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Nikon D800E and the Canon 200D. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size,
the Canon 200D is considerably smaller (37 percent) than the Nikon D800E. Moreover, the 200D is substantially lighter (55 percent) than the D800. It is worth mentioning in this context that the D800 is splash and dust resistant,
while the 200D does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses
that both of these cameras require. A larger imaging sensor will tend to go along with bigger and heavier lenses, although exceptions exist.
You can compare the optics available for the two cameras in the Nikon Lens Catalog (D800) and the Canon EF Lens Catalog (200D).

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. If you would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, just use the right or left
arrows in the table to switch to the respective camera. Alternatively, you can also navigate to the CAM-parator app and
make your selection from the full list of cameras there.

The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. The 200D was launched at a markedly lower price (by 83 percent) than the D800, which puts it into a different market segment. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down.

Sensor comparison: Nikon D800E vs Canon 200D

The size of the imaging sensor is a crucial determinant of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Nikon D800E features a full frame sensor and the Canon 200D
an APS-C sensor. The sensor area in the 200D is 61 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.0 and 1.6. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

With 36.2MP, the D800 offers a higher
resolution than the 200D (24MP), but the D800 nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of
4.88μm versus 3.72μm for the 200D) due to its larger sensor. However, the 200D is a somewhat more recent model (by 5 years and 4 months) than the D800, and its sensor
might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixels. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the D800 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The 200D has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during video recording.

The Nikon D800E has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 6400, which can be extended to ISO 50-25600.
The corresponding ISO settings for the Canon EOS 200D are ISO 100 to ISO 25600, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-51200..

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service determines an overall sensor rating, as well as sub-scores for low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and color depth ("DXO Portrait"). Of the two cameras under review, the D800 provides substantially higher image quality than the 200D, with an overall score that is 17 points higher. This advantage is based on 2 bits higher color depth, 0.9 EV in additional dynamic range, and 1.5 stops in additional low light sensitivity. The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

Camera Model

Sensor Class

Resolution (MP)

Horiz. Pixels

Vert. Pixels

Video Format

DXO Portrait

DXO Landscape

DXO Sports

DXO Overall

Camera Model

Nikon D800E»

Full Frame

36.2

7360

4912

1080/30p

25.6

14.3

2979

96

Nikon D800E

Canon 200D«

APS-C

24.0

6000

4000

1080/60p

23.6

13.4

1041

79

Canon 200D

Canon 2000D«»

APS-C

24.0

6000

4000

1080/30p

22.6

11.9

1009

71

Canon 2000D

Canon 77D«»

APS-C

24.0

6000

4000

1080/60p

23.6

13.3

971

78

Canon 77D

Canon M100«»

APS-C

24.0

6000

4000

1080/60p

23.5

12.9

1272

78

Canon M100

Canon 5D Mark IV«»

Full Frame

30.1

6720

4480

4K/30p

24.8

13.6

2995

91

Canon 5D Mark IV

Canon M5«»

APS-C

24.0

6000

4000

1080/60p

23.4

12.4

1262

77

Canon M5

Canon 100D«»

APS-C

17.9

5184

3456

1080/30p

21.8

11.3

843

63

Canon 100D

Canon 5D Mark III«»

Full Frame

22.1

5760

3840

1080/30p

24.0

11.7

2293

81

Canon 5D Mark III

Nikon D850«»

Full Frame

45.4

8256

5504

4K/30p

26.4

14.8

2660

100

Nikon D850

Nikon D810«»

Full Frame

36.2

7360

4912

1080/60p

25.7

14.8

2853

97

Nikon D810

Nikon Df«»

Full Frame

16.2

4928

3280

-

24.6

13.1

3279

89

Nikon Df

Nikon D610«»

Full Frame

24.2

6016

4016

1080/30p

25.1

14.4

2925

94

Nikon D610

Nikon D4«»

Full Frame

16.2

4928

3280

1080/30p

24.7

13.1

2965

89

Nikon D4

Nikon D600«»

Full Frame

24.2

6016

4016

1080/30p

25.1

14.2

2980

94

Nikon D600

Nikon D800«»

Full Frame

36.2

7360

4912

1080/30p

25.3

14.4

2853

95

Nikon D800

Nikon D700«»

Full Frame

12.1

4256

2832

-

23.5

12.2

2303

80

Nikon D700

Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the 200D provides a faster frame rate than the D800. It can shoot movie footage at 1080/60p, while the Nikon is limited to 1080/30p.

Feature comparison: Nikon D800E vs Canon 200D

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The D800 and the 200D are similar in the sense that both have an optical viewfinder.
The latter is useful for getting a clear image for framing even in brightly lit environments. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Nikon D800E and Canon 200D along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

Core Features

Camera Model

Viewfinder (Type or '000 dots)

Control Panel (yes/no)

LCD Size (inch)

LCD Resolution ('000 dots)

LCD Attach- ment

Touch Screen (yes/no)

Shutter speed (1/sec)

Shutter flaps (1/sec)

Built-in Flash (yes/no)

Built-in Image Stab

Camera Model

Nikon D800E»

optical

Y

3.2

921

fixed

n

8000

4.0

Y

n

Nikon D800E

Canon 200D«

optical

n

3.0

1040

swivel

Y

4000

5.0

Y

n

Canon 200D

Canon 2000D«»

optical

n

3.0

920

fixed

n

4000

3.0

Y

n

Canon 2000D

Canon 77D«»

optical

Y

3.0

1040

swivel

Y

4000

6.0

Y

n

Canon 77D

Canon M100«»

-

n

3.0

1040

tilting

Y

4000

6.1

Y

n

Canon M100

Canon 5D Mark IV«»

optical

Y

3.2

1620

fixed

Y

8000

7.0

n

n

Canon 5D Mark IV

Canon M5«»

2360

n

3.2

1620

tilting

Y

4000

9.0

Y

n

Canon M5

Canon 100D«»

optical

n

3.0

1040

fixed

Y

4000

4.9

Y

n

Canon 100D

Canon 5D Mark III«»

optical

Y

3.2

1040

fixed

n

8000

6.0

n

n

Canon 5D Mark III

Nikon D850«»

optical

Y

3.2

2359

tilting

Y

8000

9.0

n

n

Nikon D850

Nikon D810«»

optical

Y

3.2

1229

fixed

n

8000

5.0

Y

n

Nikon D810

Nikon Df«»

optical

Y

3.2

921

fixed

n

4000

5.5

n

n

Nikon Df

Nikon D610«»

optical

Y

3.2

921

fixed

n

4000

6.0

Y

n

Nikon D610

Nikon D4«»

optical

Y

3.2

921

fixed

n

8000

11.0

n

n

Nikon D4

Nikon D600«»

optical

Y

3.0

921

fixed

n

4000

5.5

Y

n

Nikon D600

Nikon D800«»

optical

Y

3.2

921

fixed

n

8000

4.0

Y

n

Nikon D800

Nikon D700«»

optical

Y

3.0

922

fixed

n

8000

8.0

Y

n

Nikon D700

One feature that is present on the D800, but is missing on the 200D is a top-level LCD.
While being, of course, smaller than the rear screen, the control panel conveys some of the essential shooting information and can be convenient for quick and easy settings verification.

The 200D has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing. This characteristic will be appreciated by
vloggers and photographers who are interested in taking selfies. In contrast, the D800 does not have a selfie-screen.

The D800 writes its imaging data to Compact Flash or SDXC cards, while the 200D uses SDXC cards. The D800 features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the 200D
only has one slot.

Connectivity comparison: Nikon D800E vs Canon 200D

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Nikon D800E and Canon EOS 200D and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

Camera Model

Hotshoe Port

Internal Microphone

Internal Speaker

Microphone Port

Headphone Port

HDMI Port

USB Type

WiFi Support

NFC Support

Bluetooth Support

Camera Model

Nikon D800E»

Y

mono

mono

Y

Y

mini

3.0

-

-

-

Nikon D800E

Canon 200D«

Y

stereo

mono

Y

-

mini

2.0

Y

Y

Y

Canon 200D

Canon 2000D«»

Y

mono

mono

-

-

mini

2.0

Y

Y

-

Canon 2000D

Canon 77D«»

Y

stereo

mono

Y

-

mini

2.0

Y

Y

Y

Canon 77D

Canon M100«»

-

stereo

mono

-

-

mini

2.0

Y

Y

Y

Canon M100

Canon 5D Mark IV«»

Y

mono

mono

Y

Y

mini

3.0

Y

Y

-

Canon 5D Mark IV

Canon M5«»

Y

stereo

mono

Y

-

mini

2.0

Y

Y

Y

Canon M5

Canon 100D«»

Y

mono

mono

Y

-

mini

2.0

-

-

-

Canon 100D

Canon 5D Mark III«»

Y

mono

mono

Y

Y

mini

2.0

-

-

-

Canon 5D Mark III

Nikon D850«»

Y

stereo

mono

Y

Y

mini

3.0

Y

Y

Y

Nikon D850

Nikon D810«»

Y

stereo

mono

Y

Y

mini

3.0

Y

-

-

Nikon D810

Nikon Df«»

Y

-

-

-

-

mini

2.0

-

-

-

Nikon Df

Nikon D610«»

Y

mono

mono

Y

Y

mini

2.0

-

-

-

Nikon D610

Nikon D4«»

Y

mono

mono

-

-

micro

2.0

-

-

-

Nikon D4

Nikon D600«»

Y

mono

mono

Y

Y

mini

2.0

-

-

-

Nikon D600

Nikon D800«»

Y

mono

mono

Y

Y

mini

3.0

-

-

-

Nikon D800

Nikon D700«»

Y

-

-

-

-

mini

2.0

-

-

-

Nikon D700

It is notable that the D800 has a headphone jack, which is not present on the 200D
This port makes it possible to attach external headphones and monitor the quality of sound during the recording process.

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Nikon D800E (unlike the 200D) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights
can be controlled by the camera.

The 200D is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Canon.
In contrast, the D800 has been discontinued (but it can be found pre-owned on eBay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the D800 was succeeded by the Nikon D810.

Review summary: Nikon D800E vs Canon 200D

So how do things add up? Is there a clear favorite between the Nikon D800E and the Canon 200D? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (83 percent cheaper at launch).

More modern: Reflects 5 years and 4 months of technical progress since the D800 launch.

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the D800 comes out slightly ahead of the 200D (16 : 15 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision.

D800 16:15 200D

In any case, while the comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it says nothing about, for example, the handling, responsiveness, and overall imaging quality of the D800 and the 200D in practical situations. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate.

Expert reviews: Nikon D800E vs Canon 200D

This is where reviews by experts come in. The following table reports the overall rankings of the cameras as published by some of the major camera review sites (cameralabs, dpreview, ephotozine, imaging-resource, photographyblog). You can find the full text of the reviews by clicking on the site logo in the table header.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

Other camera comparisons

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